The Purple Purse

Here is a fancy purse that I made using directions from the Needle-Felting Magic book by Margo Duke.

Hers was green and blue. I used purples and blue-greens because I happened to have three yards of hand-dyed silk ribbon in those shades to use as embellishment. You can see the ribbon going diagonally down the purse, and also used to make ribbon rosettes.

This one has a muslin base, to which I needle-punched fabrics in my color combination. All the raw edges then have yarn or roving needle-felted down. Then the fun of adding yarn pinwheels and other embellishments.

Then you have to do some machine-quilting, which I did in a shiny magenta rayon thread, with lots of swirls and floral motifs. After that, some beading and some larger ribbon flowers were done by hand.

Like every purse and bag pattern I have tried, I had some problems with these instructions. Namely: how to put in the magnetic snap. The snap package says "See pattern directions." The pattern directions were not specific enough for me. Which way are you supposed to bend the prongs? In toward the snap, or out? And are you supposed to put in the bracket-looking metal piece that came with it? I didn't.

This bag has a bright pink swirly cotton lining and a purple pocket in three sections. One is large enough for my cell phone.

I really enjoyed making this purse and will probably make another. Next time I will know not to bead and embellish all the way to the edge of the base fabric, because when you cut out the purse pattern, some of the extra stuff is too close to the bottom or seam. And I would move the snap up higher because it is right above the pocket.

I'm also not too sure about all that extra roving hanging from the edge of the strap. Should I whack it off?

I will probably keep this purse for myself, since I have several purple items in my wardrobe, but will probably make some more.

Silky New Stuff

Still working on secret stuff...but I thought I would show you some of my recent quilt-related purchases.

I am so lucky that we have a local quilt shop in Wake Forest- Quilts Like Crazy and Knit, Too!-owned by my friend Nancy Pease. My little town is growing, but there are still so many items that require a drive into Raleigh to purchase. Nancy and her daughters have been successfully running this business for years, including their long-arm quilting service. Anyway, I was just getting ready to run errands last Thursday when I got an e-mail about an additional sale on her half-price yarns. I am not a big knitter although I learned how back in the seventies. I am always searching for pretty fibers to use for postcards and art quilts. I got these beauties for sixty percent off!

I mentioned my visit to Waechter's Silk Shop while I was in Asheville over Thanksgiving. Here is the length of fabric I got for fifty percent off- enough for a jacket. And look at these yummy yummy hand-dyed silk ribbons! Even their names are delicious: Mango, Green Apple, Wild Berry. You can purchase these online from their shop.

I hope to make one of these two jackets which are perfect for long-arm quilters to pre-quilt the fabric before assembly. I like both of them!